When Neil Zimbaldi Jr. of Carmel, New York, built his rowdy 1969 Chevelle SS in his home garage, he didn’t expect it to be a time machine. But that’s what the LS6-motivated ride has become.

“When I get in the car and turn the key, I’m immediately connected to my dad in the 1970s and my grandfather in the 1950s,” says Neil with a grin. “They did the same motions years before I was ever around. It’s 60 years of hot rod history I can connect with in my own car, and in my own way.”

His Chevelle is the epitome of what many believe a true muscle car should be. No radio, no A/C, it’s certainly not quiet, and there are no posh amenities like power windows or door locks.

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Neil Zimbaldi and his dad used typical day-two parts to complete the retro look of his Chevelle. Cragar rims, tow tabs, and a healthy supply of rubber out back give this A-Body the perfect look and stance to get the job done.

“When you drive a car like this, you become part of the vehicle. You see, feel, and hear every nuance,” admits Neil. Driving his Chevelle is his therapy, as there’s no time to think about anything else when he’s behind the wheel. He especially likes the rawness of his homebuilt Chevy. “There’s nothing automatic. Four-speed in hand, fire at will.”

The Chevelle’s born-with L35 had major issues, so Neil’s dad donated his 1971 LS6 crate motor and had Tony Feil Competition Engines build it into a solid street performer. It is balanced and blueprinted, and uses an Edelbrock Performer Air Gap intake along with a Holley Ultra XP 850-cfm carb to keep itself fed.

MonSSter ManThe tale of this Chevelle starts when Neil was just 14. His dad, Neil Sr., felt it was time to start on his son’s first set of wheels. Initially, dad’s Pro Street Nova was going to be Neil’s first muscle car. But the elder soon realized that a more stockish car might be a better choice. Young Neil has had a thing for Chevelles ever since he was knee-high to a bumper, so that particular model was going to be their target car.

By luck, Neil’s uncle found out about a Chevelle sitting in a broken-down garage owned by one of his grandfather’s car club members. When father and son checked out the A-Body and found it in relatively restorable condition, the elder turned to his “born in da Bronx” quick-tongued negotiating skillset. With $1,500 dollars in his pocket, Neil needed to get the price down from the $4,500 the owner was asking. Once the dad split that number in half, he sealed the deal and then ponied up the extra cash for his son.

The A-Body was purchased not only for Neil’s transportation needs but also as a father-son project that would keep the youngster busy and out of trouble. Neil Sr. is a restorer by trade, so the youngster was in good hands in his home garage.

The cockpit of this Chevelle is all business. The original bucket seats and simulated-wood steering wheel sit proudly alongside such day-two add-ons as a trio of restored Sun Blue Line gauges (restored by Williamson’s Instruments) and a Hurst Super Shifter between the seats. The seats were reskinned by R Dee’s Upholstery, Newburgh, New York.

MonSSter MashSince Neil spent every penny he made that summer purchasing the car, the build would have to go forward on a tight budget. Luckily he had an experienced (and willing) helper in his dad, who took over shaping the metal structure. The body was in reasonable shape for being a Northeastern car. It was sold new at A&C Chevrolet in nearby Fort Montgomery, New York, and spent its life in southern New York State.

Once they got the Chevy down to its shell, Neil Sr. replaced both quarters and the passenger door skin, and added patches on the lower fenders. He sprayed the paint at his shop, Neil’s Auto Body, right there in Carmel.

The cockpit of this Chevelle is all business. The original bucket seats and simulated-wood steering wheel sit proudly alongside such day-two add-ons as a trio of restored Sun Blue Line gauges (restored by Williamson’s Instruments) and a Hurst Super Shifter between the seats. The seats were reskinned by R Dee’s Upholstery, Newburgh, New York.

During the teardown they found the original build sheet, which proved it was a true SS car, powered by the 325hp L35 396. The car still had all of its original drivetrain, but the motor had major issues, so Neil Sr. went to his parts supply and saved the day in the form of an LS6 crate engine that had once powered his El Camino street racer. He knew how much power this 454 made back in his blacktop racing days, so he made sure that his son was ready to take on the punch of this powerplant. Sporting ported and polished heads, a Comp Cams solid-roller setup, and Speed Pro forged pistons, this open-chambered LS6 was just what the doctor ordered. Well, if your doctor was horsepower-crazed psycho-physician looking for some high-speed street action, that is!

Neil really wanted that 1970s street look, so what’s better than a set of Cragar SS mags? He went with 15×4.5 skinnies up front shod with Coker BFGoodrich Silvertowns, while in back Hoosier Quicktime Pro slicks are mounted on drilled and beaded 8-inch Cragars.

Legendary Pro Stock Racer Tony Feil rebuilt the big-block at his shop in Raritan, New Jersey. Next, they dropped the automatic trans in favor of an M23W wide-ratio four-speed built by Jeff Collins at Midwest Muncie. All this geared-up goodness feeds a Moroso Brute Strength 12-bolt rear stuffed with Strange 4.11 gears. The driveline was clean and simple, and built to take the punishment young Neil was about to bestow on this nasty Chevelle.

With the drivetrain done, they keyed on the suspension. Umi Performance control arms, tubular lowers and adjustable uppers, were added up front. Lakewood Drag Shocks handle the load, 90/10 front and 50/50 rear. Air Lift Drag bags were installed to make it street savvy. Stock Chevy discs do the stopping up front, while drums handle the rear. Cragars keep the old-school look that Neil craved.

Neil really wanted that 1970s street look, so what’s better than a set of Cragar SS mags? He went with 15×4.5 skinnies up front shod with Coker BFGoodrich Silvertowns, while in back Hoosier Quicktime Pro slicks are mounted on drilled and beaded 8-inch Cragars.

MonSSter MightThe buildup took 10 years, progressing as dad had the time and Neil had the parts. “It’s not easy for a teenager to restore a car, but my dad kept the price down,” admits Neil. And of course, the restoration process had its ups and downs. “It was definitely a bonding experience between my dad and me. Lots of laughs and fights. Slammed doors and thrown wrenches. But at the end of the day we always went back to working on the car.”

Neil likes the Spartan look and feel of his ride and the “at one with the road” quality the car exudes when he gets behind the wheel and rows it through the gears.

Neil learned a lot about his dad’s experiences out on the street in the 1970s and 1980s as well. “Dad told me about racing in Yonkers [New York] for bags full of cash, spending nights in jail, breaking race cars, and getting their cars impounded. All the good stuff,” he says without irony. “All the stuff a teenage hot rodder wants to hear about his dad!”

Neil is the first to admit “the car’s not perfect. It’s got its pings and dings, some scratches, and 2 pounds of tire rubber on the quarters.” But he wouldn’t change a thing. It’s a strictly business, 1970s-style, day-two street racer. His Dad was happy to go through his boxes of parts to complete the project, giving this ride authenticity. “I built it the best I could, so I can drive it as hard as I possibly can. That’s the reason these cars were built in the first place.” We definitely agree!

Neil is a third-generation hot rodder, and is following directly in the footsteps of his dad, Neil Sr., by building and driving this wild Chevelle street machine. His grandfather, Joe Gurran, was a pioneer of drag racing. One of his dragsters is on permanent display in the Garlits Museum of Drag Racing in Florida.